Electrical discharge apparatus



. Nov. 17, 1942. K. KRAusE 2,301,955

ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1940 Patented Nov. 17, 1942 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE* ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE APPARATUS Karl Krause, Berlin, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application July 9, 1940, Serial No. 344,568

In Germany March 18, 1939 9 Claims.

discharge apparatus on a movable carrier so that l0 the cathode may be moved to a position for removal thereof from the carrier by simple and convenient means without affecting the pressure within the electrical discharge tube.

Another object of the'invention resides in pro- 15 viding means arranged externally of the electrical discharge tube for removing a cathode from an operable position within the electrical discharge tube and replacing the removed cathode without altering the vacuum of the discharge apparatus. 20

Other and further features and objects of the inventionwill be readily apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing and following description wherein several exemplary embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectiona1 View of a portion of an electrical discharge tube illustratingv apparatus for removing and replacing the cathodes thereof.

Fig. 21s a sectional view of the apparatus taken f on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modied arrangement for removing a cathode from an operable position in the electrical discharge apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing there is shown inY Figs. 1 and 2 a portion of an electrical discharge tube I4 which is provided with an anode I'I. The apparatus includes a hollow rod I for supporting a cathode 2 within the end of the tube I4 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. 'I'he end portion of the hollow rod I is provided with a dovetailed recess for receiving the tongue of the cathode 2.

The hollow cathode supporting rod I is slidably mounted within a guide member 3 which may take the form of a tube as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The tubular guide member 3 is preferably arranged in axial alignment with the discharge tube I4. The hollow cathode supporting rod I may be moved Within the tubular member 3 by means of a threaded shaft I Ii and the manually operable handle I5 arranged beyond the end of the tur bular member 3. The shaft I 6 is provided with a v to the position shown by full lines.

(Cl. Z50-27.5)

conical portion I8 which issealed with respect to the tubular guide member 3. The cathode supporting rod I may therefore be retracted from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1

The discharge tube I4 is mounted on a housing member I3 and sealed with respect thereto in any Well known manner and the housing I3 provides further means for guiding the cathode supporting rod I.

A cylinder or sleeve 4 is arranged transverse to the guide member 3 and sealed with respect thereto as indicated by the welded joints adjacentthe tubular guide member 3. The cylinder 4 projects laterally beyond both sides of the housing I3 as shown in Fig. 1.` A plunger `I is mounted for movement within the cylinder 4 and the end portion of the cylinder 4 illustrated to the right in Fig. 1 is sealed by means of the yieldable member I9 which may take the form of a bellows.

A plurality of new and unused cathodes 2a are stored adjacent the inner end of the plunger 'I within a housing 6. The housing is provided with a removable cover II and the newcathodes 2a are stacked therein so as to move downwardly by the weight thereof. Each new cathode 2a is provided with a tongue for engaging the dovetailed groove provided in the cathode supporting rod I.

The cylinder or sleeve 4 to the left of the tubular guide member 3 is closed and provided with a housing I0 which is also sealed by means of a removable plate I 2.

When it is desired or necessary to replace the `used cathode 2 the cathode supporting rod I is retracted to the position illustrated in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Thereafter the plunger 'I is forced inwardly with respect to the cylinder 4 so that the cathode 2a resting on the ilat surface 8 of the plunger I ismoved into engagement with the cathode 2 carried by the hollow supporting rod I. When the plunger 'I has been moved` to this position, the cathode 2a immediately above the cathode resting on the flat surface 8 is supported by a flat surface 9 also arrangedon the plunger l. Further movement of the plunger 'I to the left in Fig. l will force the cathode 2 from a supported position on the rod I and the cathode 2 may thus fall into the housing I Il. During such movement of the plunger the tongue of the cathode 2a resting on the ilat surface 8 is moved into the dove-tailed groove of the cathode supporting rod I. When the plunger I is thereafter retracted the cathode 2a supported on the ilat surface 9 will fall to rest on the surface 8.

The cathode supporting rod carrying the cathode 2a thereon may then be moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 or an operable position in the discharge tube i4. Thus it will be appreciated that the cathode of the electrical discharge apparatus has been replaced without altering or destroying the vacuum Within the tube I4.

A modified arrangement for removing a used cathode is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein the cathode supporting member la is provided with a series of tongues 2| for supporting a plurality of cathodes in a juxtaposed position as illustrated particularly in Fig. 4. In this modification the plunger for removing a used cathode 2b is indicated at la and the plunger 'la is adapted to engage the used cathode Zbas indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 so as to force the cathode 2b from the cathode supporting member la and move the cathode 2b into the housing lll. A new cathode 2c is thus uncovered so as to be capable of being moved into the discharge tube vlll by means of a threaded shaft similar to that shown at I6 in Fig. 1.

The bellows I9 for sealing the plunger 1a with respect to the cylinder 4 in Fig. 3 is preferably surrounded by a spring 2li so that the plunger 1a is retracted automatically.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural details it will be appreciated that Vchanges may be made therein. Such modicationsmay be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

r1. An electrical discharge tube comprising, an electrode supporting member, a tubular guide member sealed with respect to the discharge tube :"or guiding said electrode supporting member into the discharge tube, an electrode removably carried by said supporting member, means for moving said electrode supporting member in the guide member, means sealing said tubular guide member, a cylinder mounted transversely of the tubularguide member, a plunger movable in said cylinder for moving said electrode from engagement with said supporting member, and means sealing said plunger with respect to the cylinder.

2. An electricaldischarge tube comprising, an electrode supporting member, a tubular guide member sealedwith respect to the discharge tube for guiding said electrode supporting member into the discharge tube, an electrode removably oarried by said supporting member, means for moving said electrode supporting member in the guide member, means sealing said tubular guide mem-v ber,v a cylinder mounted transversely of the tubular guide member, a plunger movable in said cylinder for moving said electrode from engagement with said supporting member, a bellows sealing said plunger with respect to the cylinder, and a sealed housing carried by said cylinder for receiving the, electrode removed from said supporting member.

3..Apparatus for removing an electrode of an electrical discharge tubecomprising, a tubular guide member, an axially aligned housing membercarried by 'the tubular guide member and mounted on the, discharge tube, a hollow rod longitudinally movable in said guide member and said V housing member, Aan electrode removably supported on said hollow; rod, means for moving the hollow rod in said guide member and said housing member Awhereby the `electrode may be moved into and withdrawn from the discharge tube, a cylinder mounted on said housing member transversely of the tubular guide member, a plunger movably mounted in said cylinder for moving said electrode from supported engagement on said hollow rod, a yieldable bellows connected to and surrounding the plunger and closing an end of said cylinder, and means providing a closed chamber at the other end of the cylinder for receiving the electrode removed from the hollow rod.

4. Apparatus for removing an electrode of an electrical discharge tube comprising, an electrical discharge tube, a tubular guide member mounted on the discharge tube, a hollow rod longitudinally movable in said guide member, an electrode removably supported on said hollow rod, a threaded shaft engaging the hollow rod whereby the electrode may be moved into and withdrawn from the discharge tube, a cylinder mounted transversely of and sealed to the tubular guide member, a plunger movably mounted in said cylinder for moving said electrode from supported engagement on saidhollow rod, a yieldable bellows surrounding the plunger and closing an end of said cylinder with respect to the plunger, and means providing a closed chamber at the other end of the cylinder for receiving the electrode removed from the hollow rod.

5. Apparatus for removing and replacing an electrode of an electrical discharge :tube comprising, an electrical discharge tube,Y closed guide means in open communication with said discharge tube, a rod movable longitudinally in said guide means and having-a dove-tail recess in an end thereof, an electrode having a tongue removably mounted in said recess, an encased plunger mounted for movement in alignment with said recess, a housing enclosing a plurality of auX- iliary electrodes adjacent an end of said plunger, each of said auxiliary electrodes having a tongue for entering the recess in said rod, means on said plunger for moving the tongueof an auxiliary electrode into said recess and moving the tongue of the first-mentioned electrode from said recess during movement of the plunger towards said rod. a

6. Apparatus for removing an electrode of an electrical discharge tube comprising, an electrical discharge tube, closed guide means in open communication with said discharge tube, an electrode supporting member movable `in said guide means, an electrode carried by said supporting member and removable laterally therefrom, means for moving said supporting member in the guide means, a closed cylinder intersecting` the axis of and carried by said guide means, and means movable in said cylinder and, engageable with said electrode for moving the same laterallyfrom the supporting member.

7, Apparatus for removing an electrode from an operable position within ,an electrical discharge tube comprising, an electrical Adischarge tube, closed guide means in open communication with said discharge tube, an electrode supporting member movable in said guide means, juxtaposed electrodes carried by said supporting member, each removable laterally therefrom, means in said guide means for moving the supporting member whereby an uncovered electrode may be moved to an operable position within the discharge tube and withdrawn therefrom, a closed cylinder on said tube intersecting the axis of said guide means, and means movable in saidv cylinder for engaging one electrode and moving the same laterally from the supporting member.

8. Apparatus for removing an electrode from an operable position Within an electrical discharge tube comprising, an electrical discharge tube, closed guide means in open communication with said discharge tube, an electrode supporting member movable in said guide means, juxtaposed electrodes carried by said supporting member, each removable laterally therefrom, means in said guide means for moving the supporting member whereby an uncovered electrode may be moved to an operable position Within the discharge tube and withdrawn therefrom, a cylinder mounted on the guide means and intersecting the axis of said guide means, a plunger movable in said cylinder for engaging one electrode and moving the same from engagement with the supporting member, a yieldable bellows sealing the cylinder with respect to the plunger, and a spring for returning the plunger to a retracted position.

9.V Apparatus for removing an electrode from an electrical discharge tube comprising, an electrical discharge tube, a tubular guide member mounted on said discharge tube, a hollow rod longitudinally movable in said guide member, an electrode removably supported on said hollow rod, means carried by said guide member for moving the hollow rod in said guide member whereby the electrode may be moved into and withdrawn from the discharge tube, a cylinder mounted transversely of the tubular guide member and sealed thereto, a housing mounted on the cylinder adjacent the guide member, a plurality of auxiliary electrodes within said housing, a plunger movably mounted in said cylinder, a at surface on an end portion of said plunger for receiving an auxiliary electrode from said housing, a second flat surface carried bysaid plunger adjacent the rst flat surface for retaining the other auxiliary electrodes within the housing during movement of the plunger towards said hollow rod whereby the electrode supported on the first at surface may engage the electrode carried on said hollow rod to remove the same therefrom.

KARL KRAUSE. 

